The Middle East is a region that spans southwestern Asia and northeastern Africa. If you're looking for true flavor of the region, you'll find it in grand and ancient mosques, tranquil beachside resorts, or at one of the area's many open-air souks buzzing with authentic sights, sounds and tastes. And coupled with all of this, is the regions new-found dazzling modernity.
A visit to this region is pleasantly surprising. Dubai is today a glitzy urban paradise, a playground of luxury resort hotels and spectacular shopping venues. For a more traditional experience, there's the Sultanate of Oman, one of the oldest civilizations on the Arabian Peninsula. Oman has on display some of the finest marine life in the Indian Ocean, with towering mountains, wadis, deserts and historic forts. The legacies of Jordan, Libya and Syria encompass the greatness of Alexander the Great and the glories of imperial Rome.